Wednesday, August 22, 2007

A running question.

Morning, Finn is away taking a well earned break so I can't ask her. But I have a question to any runners out there who might be able to advise.I hurt my right ankle some weeks back in the addias 5 mile road race. It happened when a fellow runner clobbered me while leaping out of the way of a garda bike. She knocked me into a ditch and I landed awkwardly. I finished the race, but I was hobbling for a few days after. There was no swelling and no bruising but some pain.Since then I have had on and off pain in my right ankle-which I will be getting x-rayed next Saturday. I took a few weeks off, and began to run again on it two weeks ago, I did a 12 k and a 16 K run and it held fine, then I did another run and it ached about a kilometre ffrom home, and was sore for two days after. There appear to be a ridge of 'bumps' on the lateral line above the ankle bone. I"m not running on it at all right now in the hope that whatever is wrong will be satisfied by more rest.The marathon is the end of October and the sole reason I've been running (I'm not a natural runner, but I do love a challange). However this injury has ballsed up my training schedule and so my question is, factoring in a probable two more weeks of rest and a clear call on the x-ray, can I get my training back on track in time for a marathon at the end of October? I was runing 35 to 45K a week and up to 20 k on the long runs. I've kept my fitness levels up using the rowing machine 5000m and 10,000m rows, 20/30k bikes rides.Cheers,FMC

Why don't you wait until you get the x ray result and if your still unsure ask one of the gym instructors if they can recomend anyone who could tell you, they might even be able to help you. Taking advice from the net might be a bit risky.

I'm not doing any such thing, I just want to know if is even possible to catch up with my training. I'm not idiotic, if it still hurts or the injury is more serious I'm not going to ignore medical advice.

I'm no expert, we all know I can't, and won't, run. But I would be surprised if you'd lose all your conditioning by taking a break, and couldn't get back up and running (pun intended) in time for that race in October. In the meantime I'm sure you're still doing some type of working out, and you can do some endurance type stuff without putting weight on the foot...like on an exercise bike. I did that while my foot injury prevented me from using the elliptical, and it at least kept me in relatively good shape without putting weight on the foot...

Andraste, I'm biking and rowing like a mofo.Confound you Docky2! For no good reason at all. Say! I've just been invited to a wine thingie later on. Which is rather fortunate as I was just thinking how much I'd love cheese and wine earlier, while mowing the meadow/lawn/rainforest. So this suits me quite rightly. Dontcha love when good things happen like that?Now, I must away to clip the hedges.

Have you checked out the Runners World UK site? They have a forum that you can join. I got injured training for the Galway Bay 10 last year and they were great help. Just a thought. Hope it starts to feel better soon!

P.S. If you have the cash the VHI swift clinics will do the X-Ray there and then, often with little to no wait in a pristine environment with doctors who speak English. ;-) Sorry... sometimes it's worth it!

I used to run and have done the Dublin marathon in years gone by. If you can get your long run up to 20km by the week before the race I'd say no problem as you've done other cardio. There shouldn't be any need to do more than that (and it's difficult getting time to do a run any longer anyway). Most important thing prior to a marathon is eating properly and being adequately hydrated. Apart from those the biggest threat to not finishing is chafing (nipples, inner thighs) and foot blisters.

20 miles ideally as you're already into "the wall" there but not absolutely necessary. What I'm saying is there's no point risking aggravating the injury by the strains put on it by extremely long runs. Doing runs as long as 30k would be unnecessary and risk inflaming the injury.

In the meantime, although you are not running you are using that ankle rowing and stuff, so I suggest after every training session do ice x 5 sets, 10 mins each with 20 rest. Or however else your heart desires. I used to twist my ankles each training almost when I was playing volleyball competitively in a club. They were that bad, totally loose and weak joints both. Then I learned to strengthen them by doing exercises specifically for the ankles. Once it is diagnosed properly and treated properly you need to look into strengthening them, just running won't do. I am sure you knew all of this anyway, but I can't help spill my experience-based crap. :) Hope you recover soon.

Just catching up on your posts, and I know you've been for your x-ray. I'm the wrong person to answer your question cos I've run with injuries lots of times and it hasn't done me harm but that's cos I refused to stop. I've had a knee injury so bad I could barely walk a week before New York marathon and still ran it. That's cos I went to a physio who runs and he knew I'd run it anyway so he did enough to get me through it. Another time, after being told I had a stress fracture, I ran the Connemara Ultra and turned out I hadn't a stress fracture after all. I'm not saying run regardless, I'm just saying maybe see a sports physio, preferably a runner, as opposed to a doctor and decide yourself based on what they say. By the sounds of it the cycling and rowing will keep you fit enough to take a break. Hope it turns out well!

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About Me

I'm a bouncy, opinionated, messy haired marathon running (!) bibliophile. I wear high heels and have delightful ankles. I'm a devoted drinker. I want a French Bulldog puppy whom I shall call Batman and dress in capes on occasion.
I would also like a pug, whom I shall name Mister Woo. He can remain capeless, but I will make sure he wears a diamante collar at all times.
Both dogs will submit to repeated snorgling and high pitched squeals that only a dolphin would normally tolerate.
I hate Reiki/psychics/mystics/frauds with all my liver. Also, I'm firmly against Jazz and poetry/poems/pomes/ peoms or any of that stuff. I believe in the healing power of ginger.